How much water does the lawn need?
If you consider that a lawn needs an average of around 2.5 liters of water per day and square meter, it is clear that the summer downpours are usually not sufficient for an adequate supply. However, it is not possible to specify how high the actual water requirement is. This is - like so many other things - very individual and dependent on various factors. The following have a major influence on the moisture requirements of your lawn:
- the composition of the lawn: different types of grass have different moisture requirements
- Location: Lawns in sunny, warm locations with little wind usually need more water
- Soil: in sandy soils, the water often seeps away very quickly, which is why the water requirement is higher here
- the heavier and loamy the soil, the less it has to be poured
- Stress: the more the lawn is stressed, the better care it needs
also read
- Can you water the lawn in the sun?
- Sprinkling the lawn - tips for watering the lawn correctly
- Watering the lawn - how long and how often?
If possible, do not water in small amounts every day
Proper lawn care also includes watering the lawn only once or twice a week, if possible, but thoroughly watering it. Don't make the mistake of watering the area daily, but not enough: the amount of water is not enough to reach deeper layers of soil. Instead, the moisture remains on or just below the surface, which on the one hand promotes matting of the lawn - and on the other hand ensures that the roots also form just below the surface and are therefore dependent on a continued frequent water supply. If you then skip watering for a few days (perhaps because you are away on a trip), the blades of grass will dry up quickly. It is therefore better to train your lawn to have a weekly watering unit in which you administer the weekly requirement.
Watering the lawn - this is how it works
A lawn needs between 20 and 25 liters of water per square meter per week, which should penetrate about ten centimeters into the earth. After watering, you can prick a few samples out of the lawn and check: If the top one to two centimeters are relatively dry, but the soil below is moist, you've done everything right. If it is the other way around, the amount of water used is insufficient or you reached the garden hose at the wrong time.
Tips
Install a rain gauge or other suitable container in the center of the lawn. If this is about two centimeters high with water, you have reached the required amount of water.
